In 2016, the Lien Centre for Palliative Care (LCPC) set up an ‘Education Incubator’ with the aim of developing and delivering high quality educational programs in collaboration with other health care departments and institutions across Singapore. This model recognizes the wealth of clinical talent and vast experience in palliative care education but also the high constraints and competing priorities faced by palliative care providers. Therefore, the education incubator is structured to enable health care professionals to teach and learn, while minimizing the operational and logistical oversight required to deliver these programs. LCPC’s Education team can provide the pedagogical and operational support required to develop and deliver such programs.
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What does Education Incubator do?
The Incubator will provide support via direct funding, manpower, subject matter and pedagogical expertise, and other resources for project management required to jump-start and sustain high quality educational programs that will enhance service delivery in Singapore. All Education initiatives will be overseen by Dr Alethea Yee, Director of Education at LCPC, and benefit from input by faculty of Duke-NUS, Singhealth, and local and international experts in palliative care education.
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Are there any funding priorities?
As LCPC has limited funding for research, funding priority will be given to projects that align with LCPC Education’s mission of delivering high quality palliative care education for health care professionals at the generalist level to meet the growing palliative care service needs locally and regionally.
An example:
In 2015, few neonatologists recognized that there is an urgent need to develop end-of-life care pathways in neonatal care in Singapore, because the traditional approach of aggressive intensive care can sometimes be contrary to the best interest of the newborn baby and palliative care might be an option worth considering. However, this requires a good understanding of the basic tenets of palliative care, current best practices and guided discussions to educate health care professionals.
They approached LCPC to conduct a one-day symposium to start these conversations locally. They also realized that it would be beneficial to develop local guidelines and best practices for neonatal units around key themes such as challenging conundrums near the end-of-life, difficult conversations, ethical considerations, inter-professional communication and communication with caregivers, as well as the impact of guidelines on care. Based on an initial proposal, LCPC formed a taskforce to work on this initiative and supported the neonatologists in conducting this symposium in 2016.
Owing to an overwhelmingly positive response, the taskforce took up the initiative of developing the guidelines and worked on the project over a 12-month period. The “Guidance on Supportive and Comfort Care in Vulnerable Babies” was officially launched at the 7th Singapore Paediatric and Perinatal Annual Congress (SiPPAC) on 28 July 2018. LCPC provided administrative and financial support to the taskforce for this project.
For further details on this guideline, please click on the following link below:
https://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/lcpc/resources/neonatal-guidance
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How should I apply?
If you identify a learning need, submit a proposal (similar to a grant proposal) identifying the rationale of the training program and the learning needs that will be addressed through this intervention. Include a timeline, key milestones, deliverables, and a tentative budget. Do also indicate how LCPC can support your project. You can submit your proposals to:
Eric Finkelstein: eric.finkelstein@duke-nus.edu.sg
LCPC Grant Application Template